MLB Team Report – Seattle Mariners – INSIDE PITCH
The Mariners came into Wednesday’s opener of a two-game series in Cleveland in last place in the American League West.
The Indians, meanwhile, are in first place in the AL Central. And the lineup that Cleveland put forward in the series opener included four former Mariners — right fielder Shin-Soo Choo, shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera, first baseman Casey Kotchman and second baseman Jose Lopez.
Choo and Cabrera combined for five hits in Cleveland’s 9-3 win over Seattle on Wednesday.
Making it painful for the Mariners isn’t that some of their former players are having success elsewhere; that’s true for all major league teams. Trades happen, players move on, and many of them find success in their new homes.
What hurts is that Seattle has gotten absolutely nothing in exchange for any of those four. None of the players the club acquired in exchange for any of those players is in the Seattle organization. None is in the major leagues. None is even in professional baseball.
And that kind of giveaway — stocking other teams’ cupboards while emptying their own — is one reason the Mariners are 16-23 and scrambling for answers.
———————————————–
MLB Team Report – Seattle Mariners – NOTES, QUOTES
–CF Michael Saunders, who had never batted higher in a Seattle lineup than fifth in 200 career starts, batted second Wednesday in the series opener in Cleveland. “They’ve pitched him tough and he hasn’t had a lot to show for it, but I like the position he’s in,” manager Eric Wedge said. “And quite frankly, we’re just trying to figure out what we want to do in that spot right now.” Saunders will probably get another chance, given that he had two hits and a walk in four plate appearances.
–2B Dustin Ackley extended his team-best hitting streak to a dozen games Wednesday. He finished with three hits, just the second time in the 12 games that he’d had multiple hits. One of the hits was a two-run homer, his third of the year.
–LF Mike Carp was in the original starting lineup, but he had to be scratched when his right shoulder started acting up. He originally injured his shoulder while trying to make a diving catch during the season opener March 28 in Tokyo against Oakland. Manager Eric Wedge said he was available as a pinch hitter, but Carp didn’t get into the game.
–RHP Felix Hernandez had a streak of 10 consecutive quality starts against Cleveland before the Indians knocked him out of the game in the fourth inning having reached him for eight runs (six earned). The 10-game streak had been tied for the fourth-longest active streak of consecutive quality starts by one pitcher against one team.
–3B Alex Liddi got a chance to start against a right-hander when manager Eric Wedge used him against Cleveland’s Ubaldo Jimenez on Wednesday. Just 24 hours earlier, Wedge said he wanted to give Liddi, who’d mostly played against lefties, more opportunities. “He’s a good young player with some damage ability,” Wedge said.
–RHP Hisashi Iwakuma pitched four innings of one-run relief Wednesday in Cleveland. He has allowed just two runs in his last seven innings, bringing his ERA down from 9.00 to 5.25.
–3B Kyle Seager, who got the start at designated hitter Wednesday, had a ninth-inning single. That leaves him 17-for-34 career against the Indians, and he has a seven-game hitting streak.
BY THE NUMBERS: 10 — Consecutive games without an error for Seattle before the Mariners made two in the first inning Wednesday.
QUOTE TO NOTE: “Michael’s been giving himself a chance to hit.” — Manager Eric Wedge, on using CF Michael Saunders in the No. 2 spot in the batting order for the first time ever.
———————————————–
MLB Team Report – Seattle Mariners – ROSTER REPORT
MEDICAL WATCH:
–C Miguel Olivo (right groin strain) went on 15-day disabled list May 1. He resumed baseball activities May 7.
–LHP George Sherrill (strained left elbow) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to April 10. He underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery in early May.
–OF Franklin Gutierrez (partially torn right pectoral muscle) went on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to March 24. He resumed throwing in late March, but he was slowed in late April due to plantar fasciitis. He resumed running May 2, then was shut down for a few days May 9. There was no timetable for his return.
ROTATION:
RHP Felix Hernandez
LHP Jason Vargas
RHP Blake Beavan
RHP Kevin Millwood
RHP Hector Noesi
BULLPEN:
RHP Brandon League (closer)
LHP Charlie Furbush
RHP Hisashi Iwakuma
RHP Tom Wilhelmsen
LHP Lucas Luetge
RHP Steve Delabar
RHP Shawn Kelley
CATCHERS:
Jesus Montero
John Jaso
INFIELDERS:
1B Justin Smoak
2B Dustin Ackley
SS Brendan Ryan
3B Kyle Seager
INF Alex Liddi
INF Munenori Kawasaki
OUTFIELDERS:
LF Mike Carp
CF Michael Saunders
RF Ichiro Suzuki
OF Casper Wells
OF/INF Chone Figgins
